Aquarium aerating pump



April l5, 1958 H. ROMANQAFF 2,830,757

AQUARIUM AERATING PUMP Filed Dec. 29. 1955 INVENTOR. HAROLD ROMANOFFATTOE/VEY nited States Patent 2,830,151 Patented Apr. 15, 1958 hice Thisinvention relates to pumps and more particularly, to devices for pumpingair and other gases.

It is a .primary object of the present invention to provide a portablepump of simple yet durable construction which is inexpensive tomanufacture and readily miniaturized.

It is another important object of the present invention to provide ahighly ecient pump for the pumping of air and other gases.

It is still another important object of the present invention to providea pump for iluids wherein the efciency of the pump is not reduced by thebackow of the air being pumped.

It is still a further object of the present invention to provide a pumpwhich is perfectly adapted for pumping air into aquarium tanks,

Briefly stated, the pumping device of the present invention comprises astrip of collapsible tubing, closure members in interconnection with thetubing at each end thereof to close same of, conduit means formed ineach closure member to permit air to pass through the tubing, andvibratory means associated with one of said closure members to rapidlymove same towards and away from the other closure member therebyrepeatedly collapsing the tubing and effecting the passage of airtherethrough.

A fuller understanding of the invention and the manner in which itsobjectives and advantages may be realized will become apparent from thefollowing detailed description thereof taken in connection with theaccompanying drawings wherein:

Fig. 1 is a sectional view of an embodiment of the pumping device of thepresent invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional view of the pumping chamber shown inFig. l in -fully extended position;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional view of the pumping chamber shown inFig. l during an intermediate stage in the operation of the device;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged sectional view of the pumping chamber shown inFig. l in fully collapsed position;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view of the fixed closure member taken on line 5 5of Fig. 2 in the direction of the arrows; and

Fig. 6 is a sectional view of the movable closure meml ber taken on line6-6 of Fig. 1 in the direction of the arrows.

Referring now to the drawing and more particularly Fig. l thereof, thepumping device of the present invention is housed in rectangular casing10 which in turn is mounted upon spaced support members 12 and 14 whichcarry the full weight of the device. Oppositely disposed elongatedprojections 16 extending inwardly into casing l@ from side walls 18 arebored for threaded engagement with metal screws 20 which hold casingcover 22 securely on the casing. A set screw 24 extends through athreaded bore in cover 22 for reasons hereinafter appearing. In thisparticular instance, casing 10, cover 22 and set screw 24 have beenmolded from plastic and are of clear composition permitting the pump tobe viewed when housed within casing 10. l

Projections 16 extending into casing 10 divide the casing into twochambers, electro-magnetic vibrator 26 being housed in one chamber andpump mechanism 28 being housed in the other chamber. Theelectro-magnetic vibrator utilized herein is of conventionalconstruction consisting of a laminated core surrounded by a windinghaving infinite turns and operating on an alternating current. Thewinding is connected to a source of current by cable 30 which extendsfrom casing 10 through a port in side wall 18.

Pump mechanism 28 consists of a strip of collapsible tubing 32,preferably of elastic composition for reasons hereinafter appearing.Conventional thin-walled rubber tubing is well suited herein. Closuremembers 34 and 36 are inserted within tubing 32 at each end thereof inthis particular embodiment of the invention. The rubber tubing ispreferably stretched over stationary closure member 36, which is aiiixedto bottom wall 38 of casing 10, and thereby anchored in the casing.Tubing 32 is also stretched over closure member 34 to hold same iirmlyin position near cover 22 of casing 10. It can thus be seen thatcollapsible tubing 32 and closure members 34 and 36 form a chamber 40for the pumping of air, the operation of which will be hereinafterdescribed.

Closure members 34 and 36 each consist of a rst member 42 superposedupon a second member 44, a shallow recess 46 being formed in secondmember 44 at the interface of members 42 and 44. A conduit 48, whichcommunicates with recess 46, is formed in member 42 to permit air topass therethrough. Spaced conduits 50, 52, 54 also communicating withrecess 46 are formed in member 44 to permit the passage of air throughmember 44.

A pressure responsive disc 56 is movably mounted in recess 46 beingadapted to close conduit 48. Movable closure member 34 and stationaryclosure member 36 are of similar construction with the exception that inthe stationary closure member the second member 44 is supported above achamber 58 which communicates with an outlet duct 60 extending throughend wall 62 of casing l Projections 64 which extend interiorly intocasing 10 from end wall 66 provide the means whereupon pole member 68 ismounted. Pole member 68 extends from its mounting acrosselectro-magnetic vibrator 26, its free end being supported by the headof movable closure member 34. A shock absorbent mat 70 is adhered to theunderside of pole member 68 where the pole member bears `upon the headof movable closure member 34. Apertures formed in the free end of polemember 68 (not shown) and in mat '76 at 74 are aligned with each otherand with conduit 48 to provide a passageway from the interior of casingl@ to pumping chamber 4t). In this particular embodiment of theinvention, the aperture in pole member 68 is covered by filter '76 tokeep dust and other solid particles from clogging the conduits leadingto chamber 40 while permitting the unrestricted ow of air through thesaid conduits. A leaf spring 78 aflixed to pole member 68 near itsmounting bears upwardly against set screw 24.

The operation of the device commences, in this particular instance, withthe attachment of hosing (not shown) to outlet duct 68 for insertioninto an aquarium tank. Electro-magnetic vibrator 26 is actuated causingpole member 68 to reciprocate upon the head of movable closure member 34which in turn causes the said closure member to rapidly move towards andaway from stationary closure member 36. By virtue of rapidlyreciprocating closure member 34, elastic tubing 32 is caused to collapseandexpand in accordion-like fashion, as may be seen in Figs. 2-4. As thetubing is collapsed, the pressure within chamber 40 increases causingpressure responsive disc 56 to move over conduit 43 to prevent theescape of chamber air through the said conduit. (See movable closuremember 34 in Fig. 4.) The pressurized chamber air is necessarily forcedthrough the conduits of the stationary closure member and through outletduct 60.' As movable closure member 34 returns to the rest position (seeFig. 3), the airfwithin chamber 40' is rarefied and the pressurized airfrom outlet duct 60 causes pressure responsive disc 56 ofthe stationaryclosure member to closeconduit 48 and prevents `the backow of air fromthe outlet.

The pressure of the air issuing from the outlet duct may be increased ordecreased by closing or opening the gap between leaf spring 78 and polemember 63 by means of set screw 24.

As will be realized from the foregoing, a pump has been provided whereefficiency is not reduced by the backflow of the air being pumped.Moreover by this invention, a portable pump has been provided which isof simple yet durable construction and which may be inexpensivelymanufactured and readily miniaturized. Additionally, by this invention apump has been provided which is perfectly adapted for pumping air intoaquarium tanks.

Although the invention has been describedin detail with respect to onepreferred embodiment thereof, it will be understood by those skilled inthe art, after reading this specification, that various changes andmodifications may be made without departing from the spirit of theinvention and the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. A pumping device comprising an elastic strip of collapsible tubing,closure members inserted in said tubing at each end thereof to closesame off, the said elastic tubing being tightly stretched over eachclosure member to hold same in position, each closure member comprisinga first member superposed upon a second member having a shallow recessformed therebetween, the said first member having conduit meanscommunicating with said recess to permit the passage of fiuid throughsaid first member, thesaid second member having spaced conduit means incommunication with the said recess to permit the passage of air throughthe said second member, a pressure responsive disc movably positioned inthe recess, the said disc being maintained between the conduit means ofthe first member and at least one of the spaced conduit means of thesecond member, and vibratory means operatively connected with one ofsaid closure members to rapidly move same towards and away from theother closure member repeatedly collapsing the tubing and effecting-thepassage of air therethrough, the backflow of air through said tubingbeing prevented by the pressure responsive discs closing the conduitmeansl of the first member as the pressure within the tubing varies withrespect to atmospheric pressure.

2.r A pumping device comprising a strip of collapsible tubing, closuremembers inserted within the tubing at each end thereof to close sameoff, each closure member comprising a first member superposed upon asecond member having a shallow recess formed therebetween, the saidfirst member having conduit means communicating with said recess topermitthe passage of air through the said first member, the said secondmember having spaced conduit means in communication with the said recessto permit the passage of air through the said second member, a pressureresponsive disc movably positioned in the recess, said disc beingmaintained between the conduit means of the first member and at leastone of the spaced conduit means of the second member, and vibratorymeans operatively connected with one of said closure members to rapidlymove same towards and away from the other closure member repeatedlycollapsing the tubing and effecting the passage of air therethrough, thebaclflow of air through said tubing being prevented by the pressureresponsive discs closing the conduit means of the first member as thepressure within the tubing varies with respect to atmospheric pressure.

3. A pumping device comprising a strip of collapsible tubing, closuremembers inserted within the tubing at each end thereof to close sameoff, each closure member comprising a first member superposed upon asecond member, one of said members having a shallow recess to provide aninterspace between said first and second members, the said first memberhaving conduit means formed therein and communicating with saidinterspace to permit the passage of air therethrough, the said secondmember having spaced conduit means formed therein to communicate withthe interspace and to permit the passage of air therethrough, a pressureresponsive discposif tioned in the interspace between the said first andsecond member, said disc being movably maintained between the conduitmeans of the first member and'at least one of the spaced conduit meansof the second member, and vibratory means operatively connected with oneof said closure members to rapidly move same towards and away from theother closure member repeatedly collapsing the tubing and effecting thepassage of air therethrough, the backow of air through the tubing beingprevented by the pressure responsive discs closing the conduit means ofthe first member as the pressure within the tubing varies withrespect'to atmospheric pressure.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS194,010 Stewart Aug. 7, 1877 723,042 Schwerin Mar. 17, 1903 1,351,210Heiliger Aug. 31, 1920 2,673,938 Winkelman Mar. 30, 1954 FOREIGN PATENTS58,670 France Oct. 28, 1953 438,404 Great Britain Nov. 15, 1935

